How to Shine a Light in Photoshop

You can add mood or drama to any Photoshop image or illustration by shining a light on your subjects. The light source can be off frame (such as a window) or a light source in your image (a lamp or flashlight). There are a number of techniques, depending on how real you want the light to look, but if you're under a deadline you can shine a light quickly in just a few simple steps.

Instructions

1. Open your image in Photoshop. If it's a photograph, mask out any lighting extremes (strong lighting reflected off an object, strong shadows cast against a wall). The easiest way to do this is to select the areas you want to fix and paint with the clone or patch tools to even out the colors.

2. Create a new layer above the image. Use any selection tool (or combination of tools) to create a selection shape to resemble the cone cast by your imagined light source. Extend the selection past the borders of your image. Create a layer mask from the selection.

3. Fill the layer with white. The mask will hide any color outside the light cone. Set the layer blend mode to "Overlay" or "Soft Light" depending on the exact effect you want to achieve (soft light will produce a more solid light, overlay will mix the light more into the background). Reduce the opacity to dim your light.

4. Add a "Gaussian Blur" filter. A higher radius will create a more diffused effect; a lower radius will focus the light more. If you want to color your light use the "Color Overlay" layer style with a low opacity (you can also experiment with the layer style blend modes for additional effect).

5. Paint shadows and reflections on the image layer with the dodge and burn tools. Build up the reflections with a soft edged brush and brief strokes. Use a softer brush to burn the shadows.

Tips & Warnings

• If your layer mask is from a light source from within the image you will need to image how the light is cast from the source. A bare bulb will cast a bright light in an ellipse surrounding the bulb. A lamp will cast a large cone from beneath the shade and a smaller more diffuse glow from the opening at the top of the shade.